


The Blade of Galadriel

by ErisFantasy



Category: Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (Video Games)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-21
Updated: 2019-07-21
Packaged: 2020-06-24 21:28:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19732111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ErisFantasy/pseuds/ErisFantasy
Summary: It has been several years since the attack on Barad-Dur and either by wards of Galadriel's light or the magics in the silver ring, Eltariel has awoken at the top of the fortress entirely unharmed. During her time unconscious she discovers the four regions have been ravaged by war and that the Dark Lord's army has been nearly depleted by the forces of the Gravewalker...





	1. Part One

**Author's Note:**

> Character Themes: Talion: (Breaking Benjamin) The Dark of You, Evil Angel.  
> Eltariel: (Breaking Benjamin) You Fight Me.

The one called Gravewalker stood alone in Minas Morgul, staring across the plains towards the Eye.

He was cold, so bitterly cold and he felt as if his sanity was finally slipping away. He had a year left, maybe six months...He could force himself to make it for the first six months. Then the last. And the cycle would continue. He couldn't break now. Sauron had not made a move against anyone other than him since Barad-Dur. Sauron's armies had not marched on any except their own and after all these years, Sauron was running out of troops. He could feel it, if only he could survive until they all were dead. Then he could destroy his own army and end it. At last.

He shook his head to clear it, now wasn't the time. He had two days before he needed to return to Gorgoroth he was here to make sure his reserves were full and they could defend the city if need be. 

He turned and walked towards the great hall, inside was the palantir and his only window to the outside world beyond Mordor. There was no time to visit it himself, the Dark Lord would be sure of it. Quite frankly, he didn't really want to appeal to the other countries. Gondor didn't bring aid when Minas Ithil fell, they wouldn't give aid now. He wasn't even sure of the state of Rohan and Arnor had been wiped out. 

He entered the great hall and ignored the pounding in his temples that was becoming more and more pronounced. The Witch King was regaining his strength. It was only a matter of time before the nightmares began and the pain...

He hurried his steps and picked up the palantir, he had to know where Eltariel was, it seemed strange the infamous nazgul huntress had not made a reappearance since failing at Barad-Dur. 

"Show me Eltariel." 

* * * 

Eltariel didn't know where she was, the golden mist around her meant she had been summoned in a dream, but had she escaped Barad-Dur? She looked at her hand and all her fingers remained. The guilt nearly floored her. What had she been thinking, she was bound by fate and it had been her fate to fail. Now she had a useless hand. 

"You have been asleep for some time." The familiar voice of Galadriel echoed throughout the dream realm.

Eltariel bowed to the voice. "My lady, I failed you." 

"You accepted a task that wasn't yours to complete, your failure is your own." Galadriel responded. 

Eltariel tried not to flinch and Galadriel appeared in front of her. Her face oddly blank. 

"You wear a ring with such strength that rivals the one. You will use it to destroy the Nazgul." She continued. 

Eltariel tried to ignore the knot in her stomach. "It shall be done." 

"You may start in Minas Morgul, one Nazgul remains in physical form. Destroy him. You know of whom I speak." 

Eltariel froze. "He is dead."

"Is he? I appear to recall you did not collect the ring of the necromancer."

Eltariel's mouth fell open in shock and Galadriel shook her head. "It is of your own folly. Awaken, assassin. You have much to do."

With that Galadriel and the dream dissipated and Eltariel awoke with a scream.

Her hand was nearly numb with pain and she grasped the nubs with her good hand. Blood had stained her light and her sleeve beneath her armor. She saw her wounds had scabbed over in the heat of Bara-Dur and she looked around.

_Where was the ring?_

She turned when the sound of metal "plink"-ing against stone caught her attention. The ring laid there, glowing. It was trying to get away, but whom was it going to? It was bound to her and she reached her injured hand for it.

Nothing. 

It did not stop and proceeded to move an inch, she looked in the direction it had moved...Minas Morgul. Or whatever was before it and beyond. Truly she was not its master and she walked over to it and scooped it up, placing it on her index finger to ensure she couldn't lose any more digits. The nubs healed over immediately but her fingers did not return. Nor did it offer any substitute for them. She had a disability then, hopefully she could manage with only three fingers on her right hand. 

She glanced at the flaming eye above her and could have sworn a blue light flickered before being doused. So he _was_ still there. She kept an eye on it as she backed away, she hoped Sauron did not have the strength to return to a physical form and finish her, a fool's fear since he was otherwise engaged.

She walked across the bridge between the two fortresses slowly. She hurt and wanted nothing more than a hole to hide in, to heal and ponder her orders. She noticed the fortress beyond looked different, much different than when she had left it, recently ravaged. How long had she been out? It had only felt like moments, but was it truly years?

She stopped to breathe and looked at her hand again, the ring had gone quiet. No longer glowing and it felt like a dead weight on her finger. She decided she'd only use it to tame animals...Her stomach rolled when she thought of dominating uruks. She had heard of ones betraying Talion when he still wore this ring, and dying shortly afterwards. She actually didn't want to die...But would she return? Was she banished from death too?

She looked at the ring again and shivered. What would happen if she had befallen the same curse as Talion? She didn't even think when she was offered the ring, like she didn't even have a choice.

She wondered if he had coerced her, Celebrimbor could control uruks, what if he had managed to do the same with her only subtly? She wouldn't even know. 

She fell to the earth and just stared at the ground. She couldn't do this. It was her fault Talion was a Nazgul and for what? Wanting a better life for the people of this land? Ending an age old conflict?

She laughed coldly, she had been elated to have someone else fighting against Sauron when she'd first heard of the Gravewalker. And in such awe when she watched him return from the dead in front of her. The surprise of actually being able to see Celebrimbor without wearing the ring. Warning Talion against becoming corrupted by a ring of power. Talion's revelation about Celebrimbor with Sauron as he gave Helm Hammerhand the Nazgul ring of beasts. 

She had to admit, even as much as she'd been against them, she enjoyed doing something that had actually mattered. Killing the chosen, for one, the killing contest they'd had. She was honestly surprised when she'd looked up from killing her six only to see the rest of the warriors had been cleaned up, as if she were a novice despite her century and a half of experience. 

_Just get up and get this over with. You are only stalling, none of that matters._

She stood after several moments and ignored the shaking in her limbs. Her muscles had atrophied, so she had been out for at least six weeks? Possibly longer. Ugh. 

She looked away from the fortress and over the side of the bridge, she could climb down. It would be risky, should a sniper be hiding nearby, but she decided she would avoid the fortress and keep the element of surprise.

* * * 

She was coming, he did not have a lot of time. He saw her awaken and leave. His death was near.

He turned away from the palantir and paced, the rage nearly choking him, why couldn't she have just died...Ironic as it was coming from him. Although _his_ ring had appeared to reject her. Or was it because Celebrimbor was no longer attached to it? 

He started to get carried away in his thoughts when he realized the room had gone dark. Shadows swirled to and fro and he tried not to sigh or scream in frustration.

"This doesn't concern you." He growled. 

He didn't want to do this right now. He couldn't do this right now.

"On the contrary, it does. Anything regarding the elven _bitch_ does. Or have you forgotten she hunts us? Hunts you? It would be a great pleasure to finally be rid of her and capture the light and ring." The Witch-King answered.

"I won't allow it and surely your arrogance has learned this?" He replied.

He heard a deep chuckle and felt him grow nearer. If this had been twenty years earlier he would have killed him. But he wasn't here. He was only a voice in his head. A projection of the ring at this moment. 

He wanted to whirl and end it now. But what would it do? He would only return in a week, or even a few days. It used to be months. He was so weary he couldn't even be rid of him anymore. His vision was starting to swim and he was beginning to feel faint. He was already shaking and the Witch King was next to him, practically keeping him on his feet.

"You know all you have to do is swear your loyalty to me and all this will end." He whispered into his ear.

"Pain lets you know you're alive. Why would I give that up?" He answered, his own voice not even over a whisper. 

"Always the masochist. Your spirit is nearly broken and what games will be played then? Hmm?" 

The dagger was in the Witch-King's throat and his hand was shaking so much he was surprised it actually found its mark. He blinked and realized he'd fallen to his knees at some point. Some small voice told him it would be preferable to be in the Dark Lord's thrall at this point.

He was in agony, blood dripping from his nose and a migraine that might kill him anyway, that had happened before. A punishment for an especially clever shattering of their plans. He didn't know Sauron could kill him at will before that. It had been the only time that had happened though, he was certain Celebrimbor had a part in keeping him alive, or Sauron was still tormenting him, keeping that hanging over his head while he fought against him.

His adorned hand balled into a fist and he stood. Walking back over to the palantir, his purpose here was to discover whom had attacked his forts. Not listening to the damned ring or falling into the abyss yet. Now was his final stand, time to make Sauron's forces hurt. 

* * * 

Eltariel crept through the streets of Minas Morgul and avoided as many uruk-hai as she could. Some she had no choice but to shank, however they were few. 

Looking out towards the great hall she realized she would not be able to slip past the guards that stood before it. She needed the exercise anyway.

She sent balls of light into the midst of them and watched them explode, some uruks were set ablaze while others were blinded. She fell into the middle of them, picking off the burning ones with spectral arrows and carving through the rest. Sixteen of them fell before they even knew what was happening. Silence fell over the area and she knew she had better hurry before anyone else arrived, someone had heard that. 

She found a side entrance to the great hall and climbed to a balcony looking over the large interior. In the middle stood a platform with a pedestal, what could only be the palantir resting atop it with Talion staring down at it intently. 

She balked at his appearance, any resemblance of a human being nearly gone, his gaunt face ashen and hands thin and almost frail looking. He wore the armor of a Nazgul, and a cape darker than this night. 

"He has changed..." She muttered to herself, realizing only a moment later how stupid she sounded. 

He had withered and his time was now. 

"Your time has come." She said to ready herself, standing and launching herself down at him, short swords drawn. 

He turned in her direction swiftly as soon as she made a sound and spirited himself away a few feet, when she turned to him again his eyes were calm, focused. 

"You won't kill me again." 

With that he lunged and she barely had time to react, dodging swiftly she narrowly avoided a slice at her throat, instead it cut open her cheek, carving bone and blood flowed freely down her face. She yanked back and blocked another attempt at her throat and her hood fell off of her head.

She tried to retreat a few steps yet he followed, never giving her a chance to breathe. She finally lunged when she realized he wouldn't expect it and he didn't, she stuck one of her swords into his collarbone, she almost yelped when he didn't react and instead phased into the other realm, quickly appearing at her left, then right, then behind, then in front of her, grabbing the knot her hair was tied into and slamming a knee into her abdomen, knocking the air out of her lungs.

She wheezed as she was thrown aside, swords flying and fell to her knees, she tried to scramble towards her closest sword but cold steel rested under her chin.

"Give me a reason." He said coldly, before removing his sword. 

She stayed still for a moment before he offered her his hand. She took it tentatively and he pulled her up. She picked up the sword she had been reaching for and sheathed it, turning around to see him holding the other one.

"I wear the ring of a Nazgul, yet I have resisted. I thought you would have known that." He stated.

She didn't answer and glanced at the new ring, it was glowing a very faint blue. He reached up and thumbed some of the blood off of her face, scowling at the wound.

"If you truly want to kill me, you will have to wait. Perhaps when it comes apparent I am no longer myself." He continued, rolling his eyes at 'kill me'. 

She still did not respond, giving her a cold glance he walked over to the palantir, she followed closely.

"If you are here, you might as well make yourself useful. The rest of the Nazgul have not yet enough strength to return to Mordor, so most certainly you have nothing better to do. Now, my other fortresses have been attacked with the exception of Cirith Ungol, however, none of them were overthrown, just weakened."

"Led by whom?" She asked.

"It appears to be two Nazgul. Although I'm sure I would know if it were any I have exiled in recent years. Know of any duo?"

She looked closely at the images that kept repeating in the void, chains ratted as picks were thrust into uruk skulls.

"Sisters. They have stolen the rings from their previous owners, however they are still trapped within the wraith realm. Just waiting for the two of them to die." She answered.

"And Sauron allows them to roam freely?" 

"No. I'm not sure. The visions I saw when I killed them last, Sauron was there. Smiling at them. In a form I did not witness at Barad-Dur, this one was beautiful." She responded. 

"They might have not realized it was him." Talion mused, arms crossed. "He is awaiting their deaths, patiently. He must not have a use for them."

"A Nazgul is a Nazgul, it makes no difference between which gender they are."

"No, but the men that wielded those rings? They were the original prize." 

She nodded slowly, her eyes never leaving the palantir. "I suppose so." 

She did not agree, but held her tongue, he still seemed to be lost in the killing calm and didn't dare risk having her throat spilled before she could reach for her swords. 

"We've lingered here enough, let us go to Cirith Ungol and prepare for their next assault." He said.

He turned away and walked towards the entrance, stepping outside he took one look at the bodies and sighed, giving her a look. They walked forward a ways before he turned to her.

"Have you ever ridden a drake?"

* * * 

The air whistled and the sky was a blur as they raced past. Eltariel was proud of the way she was managing to hang on without clinging to Talion. Truly it was no different than riding a horse, only thing was if you fell, you would die. Horribly. 

She swallowed that thought and pulled her hood tightly over her head. The way she had her hair done up, it wouldn't be impossible to untangle. A challenge perhaps. A minor annoyance. 

Neither of them had spoken since mounting the drake and she preferred it this way. She still had to kill him, even if he might be able to overpower her. She couldn't allow that to happen, the burning side of her face a constant reminder of how dangerous he was.

Talion waited quietly for any conversation she might spring, however she stayed silent. The human half of him wanted her to say something, the undesirable half didn't. Either way, there would be nothing until the fortress most likely. 

Dawn was approaching, it would be an hour or two after sunup when they would arrive. A good start, his uruks would be present then, as the day and night shifts would overlap, hopefully. Sometimes they did, other times they didn't. 

Soon this wouldn't be here anymore, the fortress, he'd would have it destroyed. If he were right, very soon. If it got trashed in the next assault, it would remain this way. Actually this was the preferable method. Making it look like they had been defeated.

He saw the glimmering of the fortress beyond and sighed, their current overlord was ostentatious and really needed to be done away with. However he kept the troops entertained and he didn't really care to know how.

He glanced over his shoulder to see Eltariel gazing off into the distance, eyes unfocused, he smirked when an idea popped into his head and subtly nudged his drake, the command silent, the beast sped up and he heard her snap back to attention, curling his hand just a little, the drake looped in the air, he tried not to chuckle when she instinctively grabbed a hold of him. 

They returned to their original pace and while disappointed she had not shrieked nor fallen, it was something at least. And sometimes you just had to.

Eltariel was less than amused, what if she had fallen? Those were rocks far beneath them, had this been an assassination attempt?

She noticed he was looking over his shoulder and she narrowed her eyes.

"Are you alright?" He asked, smiling slightly.

"I am fine."

"Figured as such, but wasn't sure." 

He looked ahead again and she looked at her fingerless hand, it felt like her missing fingers were itching yet there was nothing there. She shook her hand to see if it would stop and made sure to curl her index finger. The itching didn't stop. This was going to be fun. 

She noticed they were descending and saw the courtyards beneath them. It seemed oddly subdued. And it appeared as if Talion noticed it as well.

"Get ready to jump, say nothing. Whatever has happened, I will handle it." 

Nodding, she swung her leg over so she looked down upon the left side of the drake, Talion on the opposite. She waited until they were lower and until he jumped, she followed. 

* * * 

Talion scowled when he saw the state of the main courtyard. Piles of bones littered the area and tools were scattered to and fro. He noticed his overlord's bodyguard rushing to meet him and bowed when he stopped in front of him.

"My lordship." The uruk spoke, Akoth Slayer of the Dead, appearing rather nervous. "I'm afraid we have grave news."

"What has happened." Talion answered, walking a ways, motioning for his two companions to follow.

"There was a poison outbreak earlier this fortnight, nearly a third of our hunters and defenders fell, Az-Rans himself succumbing to the effect of it. Ur-Eden was confronted, he denied responsibility, however a scout discovered he was indeed guilty. We left his corpse inside an coffin in case you still had use for his strength."

Talion rolled his eyes, stopping to look around. "Regardless, we must prepare. There is an assault force that could make a move against us here, I'm sure you've heard of the other attacks?"

Akoth nodded. "Yes, but due to our recent losses, if attacked now we will fall. We still haven't recovered from the last defense. However, master, I do know of some uruks in this region that could provide the defenses we need."

"Eltariel will recruit them, I am needed in Seregost." 

He began walking away when Akoth acknowledged this and Eltariel turned to him. "Seregost?"

"You wear a ring, what will be the issue?" He hissed unintentionally.

"I will not dominate these uruk!" 

He whirled, the words on his tongue of how one was willing to dominate Sauron, yet not uruks, however once he looked at her, he realized she was pale and as best as she was trying to hide it, her hands were shaking.

"But I will bring them back. One way or another." 

He continued like nothing ever happened. He hadn't even thought she might still be recovering from her encounter with Sauron. It mattered not, however, she had chosen this path. Now she had to tread it.

* * * 

It was late afternoon and it had taken her longer than expected to find the first olog on the list she had been given. The Architect. And now she was approaching to see what exactly what he was doing in the midst of this crowd. A loud rumble echoed throughout the caverns and she jogged forward.

The olog was pounding the ground with a giant hammer and after a few seconds ghuls would pop out of the ground furious, spitting and clawing at the nearest orcs. 

Seeing what needed to be done, she ran forward and killed the ghuls attacking the orcs and heard the voice of the Architect. 

"An ally? Finally!" 

She hurried to finish off the rest of the ghuls and when silence fell over the cavern she looked to the Architect.

"We have much to do. Come, onto the next mound." 

She followed the crowd that shifted and she ran up alongside the Architect. "I am Eltariel, I have heard of your title, olog and seek a favor."

"Ar-Kaius! And what favor do you seek?" 

"The conqueror of Mordor has tasked me with defending his fortress here against the anonymous army that has risen. With your talents, I would like you to be a defender for us, plus help rebuild should anything happen to the fortress." 

The Architect thought for a moment before looking at her. "Prove to me here that you are worthy of following and afterwards, run an errand for me, then I shall consider it." 

"A fair price." Eltariel answered.

The next several hours were spent clearing areas of ghuls and killing them. She did not lose a single worker and did her damn hardest to make this easy on the orcs. It wasn't good for her pride, but it had to be done.

Darkness had fallen across the land and she was leaning against a wall, panting. She was pushing herself too hard. After her battle with Talion earlier and now this? She was lucky she was still standing.

She didn't realize however, is that the Architect had noticed and when he walked over, she was surprised when he offered her a goatskin.

"It's grog, but certainly you can stomach some? For an elf, your endurance is lacking."

She shook her head and refused it. "Thank you, but no. And I was out of commission for some time recently. Didn't think I needed to train, but here we are." 

The olog nodded. "You have proven you are a hard worker in killing, but are you a good thief? I need payment for these globs in my care and my own funds have run a little low. There is a caravan running through the area in a couple of hours. Do you suppose you could stage a little accident for them?"

Eltariel thought for a moment before reaching into enchanted pouch on her hip, pulling out a large bag of coin and jewels Akoth had given her earlier, just in case.

"Would this cover it?"

Ar-Kaius took it from her and opened it, rummaging though it before smiling. "Your master is very generous." 

She rolled her eyes and almost missed the three gems he threw at her. Him laughing as she grabbed two in the air and the third hitting the ground.

"It seems elves are not as graceful as they look." He sniggered. 

She looked at the two in her hands and smiled softly at the ruby and sapphire laying there, she also bent over and saw the third was a yellow diamond.

"For your work today." Ar-Kaius stated when she looked again at him. "It shouldn't go unrewarded." 

"You are truly generous." Eltariel answered, looking over the jewels. 

"I will join your host until this whole mess settles over. I am aware of stories about you, Nazgul assassin. However, I do not worry about it. You would not be requesting help if you wanted to kill me."

Eltariel waited for a few moments and looked towards the cavern entrance. "I have other work to be done. Will you have need of me tomorrow?"

"No, and as you are not one of my workers, I shall only call upon you should I have a truly vexing task." Ar-Kaius replied.

"And I will inform you when I am in need of your services. Goodnight." 

Ar-Kaius turned back to the camp his men had set up and Eltariel brought up a ball of light in her palm. Success, for today at least. Now she had two others to recruit. A sniper and one of Shelob's worshipers. Hopefully it would go as well as this had.

After returning to the fortress and resting, Eltariel had awoken before dawn and set out early. The sun had not risen when she wandered into the furthest part of the caverns and prepared to enter Shelob's cave when she heard heavy footsteps coming from it. She held up her light in an attempt to see and out walked a giant olog with a large spider as decoration on him, pasted together with webs.

He looked at her and nodded. "My mistress informs me you are in need of assistance for the Gravewalker and that I am yours until she tells me otherwise." 

"And what price do you request, for this gracious offer?"

"A price? You were willing to do a task for me?" He questioned. 

"If you had one in mind, considering you seem surprised." 

He laughed. "My name is Ar-Baruk the Thrall and I am very. However, machine worshiping fools have been causing a racket above us and I was sent out to destroy them. Join me and it will make following you easier to stomach." 

She raised an eyebrow and Ar-Baruk merely motioned for her to follow him, they walked for a little distance before he stopped and held out a hand, a silent order to halt.

"There, there are three guard captains and several slave-orcs, I doubt they will fight but be prepared." 

Eltariel looked out at the camp and saw one lonely archer keeping watch, she summoned her bow and carefully aimed at him, willing herself at his side. The world was a blur as she was thrust forward, the arrow landing in his neck seconds before she got there, giving her enough time to reach for her short swords, with one fell swoop she decapitated him.

Her bones felt like they were shaking and she turned towards the rest of the camp, the Thrall already inside bashing orcs together. Two of the guards ran forward and she pulled out her bow again and repeated her actions, this time she did not manage to part him with his head, as he kicked her out of the way, but not before she could slice open his leg.

"What is this?! A she-elf working with an olog? Pah! And here I was thinking the Gravewalker was calling to die! You will have to do!" 

He grabbed her by the neck and reached up with his other arm to punch her in the stomach, she retaliated by kicking him in the face, forcing him to loosen his grip on her neck, her light glowed and when he looked at her again, he were blinded. Using this moment she shook herself free and shoved her right blade down his throat, using the other to block a blow by the third guard that had arrived.

He screamed at her, apparently the only thing he knew how to do and she pulled her right blade free as she heard the gurgle of blood filling the captain's throat. He choked to death while she ducked under his friend's blade and swung her leg, connecting with the back of his knee and staggering the uruk. Another devilish scream from him as she sunk both her blades into his stomach and chest. She pulled them free and took off his head for good measure.

She looked around and saw the orcs were dead and the Thrall sitting by looking impressed. 

"I was a fool to doubt my mistress, I feared you would be a terrible fighter, but the Gravewalker could not have disposed of those captains that quickly. Again, I am yours until I am told otherwise. Call upon me when you are in need of me." 

He disappeared without another word and she looked at the corpses, then at the ring. She knew Talion had summoned fire when he held it. She wondered if she could do the same. Concentrating she focused her energy onto the ring and sent some of her light to it, she waited for the blasted thing to glow but it never did. The metal did not even grow warm. 

She spat and began marching towards her next recruit. But she didn't have to go far as she heard the distinct sound of the long range crossbow firing. She heard shouts as an uruk went down within fifteen feet. This looked like an opportunity and she sneaked up behind one of the uruks in cover.

"Don't get in his line of sight! I'll draw his fire, you take him out!" He shouted.

Eltariel almost laughed and she grabbed him and threw him out of cover, the sniper immediately killing him. The other uruks noticed and rushed her in a blind rage, not realizing they had walked back into danger and one fell, Eltariel rushed out and killed another and ducked behind the cover on the other side, having counted how much time it had taken for the sniper to reload. Pushing another uruk out into the line of fire she saw where she could discreetly make her way to him.

A minute later she was pulling herself up to the ledge where he stood and he was already looking at her.

"Quite amusing, how you threw them into my line of fire. You certainly have a sense of humor. And from what I heard, you are no friend of Sauron's...So tell me, is there anything these wretched uruk-hai are good for?"

Eltariel smiled. "They are good target practice."

The sniper laughed. "Your name assassin? I would like to know who my company is." 

"I am Ogg, the Bow of Morgoth. I have resisted the usurper's rabble for years alone, let us fight together and keep this old freak company." 

"OGG!"

Eltariel whirled to see three drakes in the air and a good sized uruk on a platform far below them.

"My boys scream from hell, howling for vengeance! And your miserable life ends here!" 

Eltariel fired four rounds, the first two ending the far right drake, as they were headshots and the last two hitting the middle drake in the neck and chest, damned hearty creatures! She aimed again and decided she would mount it in the air, while the idea of dominating it was daunting, she'd rather have an ally that breathed fire than one that did not.

She lined up the shot and took it, one instant still standing next to Ogg, the next sitting on the back of the drake, leaning forward and placing her adorned hand against its face.

Once its eyes turned blue she heard a voice laugh in her head. 

"I thank thee for sparing my life! Now, how shall we ruin this slave maker's day?"

"First we must kill the other drake!" Eltariel answered in thought.

The drake sighed before answering. "We will do what must be done." 

They banked quickly and were upon the other drake swiftly, its death merciful. Then they swooped down onto the uruk and the drake ate it without direction from Eltariel. It turned back and flew low by the tower Ogg was in and Eltariel jumped off, knowing she would not hurt herself because of the ring.

"I will come when summoned, lady! Bless you, for sparing me!" The drake exclaimed before zooming away.

"You look like a changed person." Ogg said as she watched it. "I suspected that ring was of the ringmaker, but was not sure until you bonded with that drake. How did you acquire such a trinket? Did you kill the Bright Lord himself?"

"You could call it a gift." She lied. 

"Ah. Now, there must be some reason you have crossed my path." He replied.

"The Gravewalker has tasked me with defending his fortress against the host that has rallied against the other regions. We are in need of recruits and with your skills, I thought you to be a good choice." She answered. 

"Your instincts are sound, I will go to your fortress today, I will need assurances I will not be killed on site, however." He informed her.

"Then I shall deliver you personally. I have no others to appeal to." 

"Lead the way."

When they entered the front gates Akoth hurried to meet her, looking heavily perturbed about something.

"What is wrong?" Eltariel asked when he got close enough.

"A large company has been spotted by our scouts, only one warchief leads them, but they are numerous in ologs and have a siege beast. We will need our newest allies tonight. They will be here by mid-morning." Akoth informed her.

"I will rally them, I will be back before sunset." Eltariel answered, she turned to Ogg. "Do you have any you can bring?"

"Three dozen archers, trained by myself personally. Fear not, I will gather them." He responded.

She looked to Akoth to find he had already returned to the deeper part of the fortress. She took a breath before sprinting out of the gates. She did not have time. She did not have time at all.

* * * 

Talion had spent the last day and a half recruiting and interrogating only to discover he would be under siege in less than fourteen hours. They were smarter than they let on, it would be the darkest hour when they would arrive at their gates, his warriors already had started their death rituals. Drinking and singing, bonfires burning and wild uruks dancing in front of it.

The war drums pounded a dark song and no one would sleep tonight. Tomorrow would be a black day, for one side or the other.

He was creeping along behind a group of uruks, they were scouts for the army marching on them and they had no idea he was there. In a moment he was on them, breaking the back of the last one, gutting the next, slicing the throat of another and finally breaking the knee-caps of their leader.

The uruk hissed at him and Talion reached forward to interrogate him, he was the only one whose mind was weak, yet he stopped himself, the uruk could not stand, so why not do this the traditional way?

He muttered a curse spell under his breath and wrapped his ringed hand around the uruk's throat, he was rather small for one, and was easily lifted so he could not stand.

"How many warriors does your force possess?" He growled, letting the flies fill the nose of the uruk.

"Two hundred lesser warriors!" The uruk shouted, afraid. "Four warchiefs!"

"Whom do you serve?"

Silence.

The curse was allowed to drip down his throat and steal the air from only one lung.

"Two sisters! Nazgul! Fierce are they, crueler than a thousand demons! They march with their troops against you!"  


Talion threw the uruk to the side and watched as the uruk struggled to breathe, horrified at the wicked grin on his face, rolling around pitifully until he died.

"Burzum mauzur agh fatoft, welcome this gift to thee."

(Darkness cruel and cold.) 

He turned and made his way back to the fortress. He would be waiting for the sisters and they would greet death.

* * * 

Eltariel watched the host leave the caverns and stand before the fortress. Dawn was only an hour behind them and it seemed strange that only one hundred and one warchief marched on them. Like they were supposed to win this. 

The warchief walked in front of his troops, smiling and strutting around like a peacock.

"As we speak, the gravewalker faces a host triple our size! He will be crushed and we shall take two--" 

An arrow embedded itself in his throat and Eltariel glanced at Ogg who was reloading while laughing. "I will enjoy watching these fools be struck down by the archers I trained."

Eltariel looked to the siege beast as it fired and she shot the flaming boulder out of the air, reloading she aim for the explosive packages littered on it, forcing it to die a fiery death. 

The host charged and volleys upon volleys found their mark in their throats or heads. They never reached the gates and scores of bodies lay in front of the gates.

Eltariel waited, motioning for everyone to keep their positions. Minutes passed, then an hour, then two. Nothing.

"Stay outdoors! There could be another company waiting to catch us off guard!" Eltariel hollered to the uruks still waiting for the command.

"Sent scouts into the caverns! No one will rest until we are certain." She called to Akoth.

He nodded and started shouting orders. 

She kept her eyes scanning across the fields, wondering how Talion had fared. 

* * *

The sounds of battle had not stopped for hours, they had been fighting since before dawn and only in the last two hours had they breached the outer gates. While many had fallen, his troops were doing an excellent job repelling them. Taking out four for every one they struck down, however their numbers seemed to keep increasing, he was beginning to realize he might not be the only one dominating troops during the skirmish. 

_They were smart._

He noticed it was getting quieter, either they had truly lost or he was losing himself to the ring entirely. Something slammed into him and he rolled, he crouched to look up and see what had hit him and immediately a chain was around his neck.

He grabbed it and pulled, it was yanked back but not before his fingers could get beneath it and buy him a little time. He returned his gaze back to what had originally hit him and it was one of the Nazgul sisters. Holding what appeared to be the same thing that was choking him. So the other was behind him. 

The one behind him started speaking with her sister in a language he hadn't heard before and the other laughed.

"Your fortress has fallen and now so shall you, Gravewalker." She said in common.

Talion smiled, feeling the ring warm on his finger. "You are certain?" 

He tore away from them and the two hissed, he slammed his hand against the ground and flames burst from the ring, in a oval in front of him and the two Nazgul twins shrieked. Summoning a drake, he was gone before they managed to put out the flames. 

He looked back over the fortress and did not lament the loss of it. He had wanted this and now he could send Eltariel back to destroy it once the two sisters cleared out. He noticed they were following him, they were a stubborn pair. But unless Cirith Ungol had fallen too, he had nothing to fear.


	2. Part Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Character Themes: Talion: (Breaking Benjamin) Feed the Wolf.

The scouts had returned and reported no signs of any additional troops. It was the same as usual in the caverns and Eltariel had given the order to return to any regular duties. She realized the brawn of the task force must have gone to Seregost. 

She heard the beat of wings and turned her head to see a drake whoosh past her, a wraith falling from its back and landed before her. 

"We've lost Seregost." 

She noticed a necklace of bruises and nodded. She felt the presence of two Nazgul approaching and said: "I don't suppose they had anything to do with it." 

They landed where their army had stood and she could have sworn she heard laughter from beneath their masks. 

"What a shame our army here was incompetent and lazy. Almost as if we wanted to cull the weak. Enjoy your victory, _bitch,_ it will be fleeting." The elder of the two said.

"We have conquered the regions of fire and ice and soon we shall hack those trinkets from your fingers."

Eltariel cringed and glanced at Talion who realized Gorgoroth had been lost. He smiled and shook his head.

"The Dark Lord himself could not take this ring, what hope do you have?" Eltariel retorted. 

"But he returned the ringmaker to him and burn atop Barad-Dur. The Witch-King is diminished, thus we have nothing to fear." The younger laughed.

They departed after that and Talion spoke: "Slayer." 

Eltariel had not noticed Akoth had joined them and looked at him and Talion did the same. "Slayer!"

Akoth jumped and turned to his master.

"Go to Minas Morgul, make sure it is secure." 

Akoth disappeared and when they were alone, Talion added.

"We cannot gather enough forces to retake Seregost and Gorgoroth. For now we shall focus only on Gorgoroth." 

"Then I shall burn Seregost to the ground." Eltariel answered. 

Talion gave her a look and then nodded after a few moments. "Do what you must. But if you run into trouble, there is no one left of my forces, you will have to dominate allies. I cannot go with you." 

Eltariel prepared to protest but he held up a hand. "I said do what you must. I am returning to Gorgoroth to see if any of my troops remain." 

She held up her hand and reached it out to the skies, willing her drake to come to her. Within a few moments she watched it burst out of the caves and lower itself down so she could mount it. With this she prepared to face whatever awaited in Seregost. 

* * * 

Talion was crouched on a post high above a camp site. He was waiting for a uruk that was a legend among their ranks. He would enjoy gutting him. He didn't see the need to dominate their entire garrison. He was already halfway there and now all he wanted to do was sow fear among them. For truly they did not know what they were up against.

He winced when his migraine sent a abnormally strong wave. He instinctively wiped at his nose, praying blood wouldn't be on his hand. Nothing was there, thankfully. His vision was plagued with spots however and it was getting difficult not to move, he needed to get the tension out of his limbs. 

It seemed as if the Valar on his side, when he looked up again the captain he wanted waltzed in with the head of one of his recent trophies. Well, now this was getting personal. Maybe he could kill him in five minutes to make up for his loss. 

"This glob had turned traitor and decided to follow a worthless tark! When our mistresses discovered it, they sent me to put his head on straight. It will have to go straight onto my helmet since their instructions were literal!"

Talion took that moment to strike, spiriting himself into the campfire in the middle of them and the explosion was magnificent, the lesser uruks closest to the fire were blown back and others were set ablaze. Since they were all led by Prak here, none of them were hearty. Only three or four remained.

He straightened himself and watched the flames dance around him, the uruk looking up in rage.

"Those were my best lot yet." He snarled. "And now you go and incinerate them!" 

"A fair trade for the loss of Ratak's head." Talion answered.

The uruk let out a war cry and rushed forward, ignoring how careless he was being. He was enraged though, so it would make him extra hearty. No matter, he'd done this dance so many times, he'd just have to wait until the little adrenaline spike wore off. 

The uruk was doing everything he could to hit him and was failing miserably. He was almost laughing, this was the legend among uruks? He side-stepped away from another attack and as he did, his vision went black. He put his hands out in front of him and took a fist to his jaw, he bit back the cry that was forming and was picked up by the neck and slammed into the ground, his left arm shattering. Damn it.

The impact brought back his vision albeit it was too fuzzy to make out more than dark blurs. He raised his good arm to block whatever was coming towards him and the uruk laughed.

"You are the Gravewalker? You disappoint me, human! I heard such great things!" 

He had gotten too close however and too arrogant, he was dropping his guard and was leaning over him. Mistake. 

Talion braced himself and then leaped upward, headbutting the uruk as he came up, his sight darkening again and Talion grabbed him and sunk his teeth into the uruk's throat. He shoved it away from him and heard the body fall to the dirt, cringing at the straining of his teeth, the gurgling continuing only for a second. 

He lay there and curled up around himself, he had to get up, he had to move. He could be ambushed at any given moment. 

"Get up." He coughed. 

He knew the Nazgul could heal themselves, he'd seen the Witch-King do it, in shadow form...Perhaps he could manage in physical form. He concentrated on his ruined arm and willed the pieces back together. It took several minutes if not an hour but after some time, it healed. 

He put both his hands on the ground and lifted himself upward, still blind. He shut his eyes tightly and pleaded with it to come back, he didn't like begging, not even silently, but he was too tired to care. 

He opened his eyes slowly when it seemed like light was on the other side and he looked around carefully. No one was in sight and he starting making his way back to the campsite they had taken back in the caves. He couldn't do much else and had killed the uruk anyway.

He turned back to look at it and cringed at the sight of the destroyed throat. He was certain he had turned into an animal. As an afterthought he reached his hand towards it and watched it get up, glowing eyes staring blankly ahead.

"Stay around here, will you? Allow your mistresses to see what they face." 

He started limping off and silently scanned the area. Eltariel had not sent word and it had been nearly five days since she had set off for Seregost. He was getting ready to sent a scout and find out what had become of her, he would wait two more days. Maybe she was merely laying low.

* * * 

Eltariel walked along the cold trails and considered returning to Gorgoroth. The two Nazgul sisters were not here and most of their army were. If she could return and convince Talion to strike the next morning, they could catch them completely unaware.

She had told him she would burn this place to the ground however. And she had made an acquaintance, Maku the Fixer. He was an assassin and was gathering intelligence on potential recruits. She would owe him a favor, but she had heard rumors the assassin had a plot against the local overlord....Maybe she could aid him with that task. 

She really didn't have time for this. She needed to destroy the fortress and gather more recruits. She needed to be ready when the call to arms came. If she wasn't Middle Earth would suffer. Preparing her strike, she went searching for the uruks Maku had recommended, maybe she could aid him in his task, it would certainly curb her boredom. 

The region was particularly cold today, as if the land was repulsed by magics that were practiced here. According to her sources, the overlord the Nazgul sisters had appointed was from the Mystic tribe and well versed in sorcery. The rumors were he would have an endless supply of gold for the sisters soon. 

This was laughable, every attempt so far had resulted in failure. One would think he would attempt to make an endless supply of food, that would be more plausible, but no, greed above all else.

The earth shook beneath her feet, accompanied by the sound of thunder, Eltariel looked up to see smoke rising from a small valley and followed it.

She had heard rumors of two uruk-hai that were masters of fire powder and anything else to do with flames, although Maku had not recommended their assistance, she felt drawn towards them and she wanted the entertainment. 

She entered what used to be an outpost, she couldn't remember the name but remembered this was here before the shadow wars. She looked around and wondered what had happened to convince Talion to burn this place to ashes. 

She heard another explosion and jumped, reaching for an arrow she no longer had. She snorted in disgust with herself, she had gotten used to the spectral ones and removed her quiver before the siege ruse in Cirith Ungol. 

_One day these magics will fail, where will you be then, Eltariel?_

She became aware of the thundering of large feet and looked up to see a massive ice graug bearing down on her. She stood there completely unprepared and frozen until a body slammed into her.

They rolled and there was another explosion, two more following and the sounds were deafening.

She starting coughing the weight atop her vanished and she was staring into the face of a horribly scarred Uruk. He looked over her once to ensure no serious injury and ran towards a barrel of grog, Eltariel had not noticed before. 

He threw some powdery substance into it and ran several paces away before throwing a match into it. The graug had been lured to it's position and it roared as it burned its flesh. 

_They'll never hurt it. How many burns has it suffered already?_

She observed for a moment more, regathering her bearings she fired an arrow into the barrel nearest to the graug and took off at a run towards it. They would either kill it or injure it so badly it wouldn't survive. 

Taking a leap as the beast roared she landed squarely on its neck, she leaned forward to grab the side of its temple but it shook and she nearly fell off.

_That damned Talion is the reincarnation of a cat in one of its nine lives!_

She plunged her wounded hand into it's thick fur and hung on as she freed one of her daggers. She noticed the graug had a festering, weeping gash in its shoulder. Nearly losing her footing once more, she sunk it into the rotting flesh and as it made a sound of utter agony she placed her hand against its face and dominated it, willing its wounds to heal as she quickly pulled her dagger free. 

She waited a moment before removing her hand, unsure if it would work. She looked at the hole she left and saw a scar from that, all signs of previous abuse vanished. 

She jumped down and the two uruks looked on skeptically, or what looked like skeptical glances.

"It's yours if you want it. I'm sure it'll stay docile." Eltariel said. 

"That arrow into the grog was awful sloppy, your boom didn't reach its full capacity." One of them said, Eltariel just realizing they were twins. 

"Yes, could have been much bigger, if you had been a tad closer." The other said.

"Uh..." She was slow today, she was speechless. "I will keep that in mind. I am Eltariel, the Blade of--"

"Flint! I'm Flint! This is Tinder." One introduced himself.

"He isn't one for fancy titles." Tinder leaned forward and stated. Eltariel noticed he had a slightly higher voice. 

"I was hoping to become allies with the two of you, the Gravewalker is assembling a task force to take the fortress of Gorgoroth, your assistance would be of great value." She voiced her intent.

"We blow shit up." Flint said. "All I care about. And fortress sieges are excellent boom fodder." 

Tinder nodded. "You did bring us the graug and if your the assistance Maku promised us, we will gladly follow you to battle." 

"The assassin promised assistance in what?" Eltariel asked.

"In turning the fortress into a poisoned hellhole!" Flint blurted. "All the sieges do is trash the place, it sits nicely for a while and then it gets trashed again! It is a waste of time." 

Eltariel narrowed her eyes but said nothing. Clearly the uruk wasn't built for war. "Well, I will most certainly be there whenever he calls." 

She excused herself and placed a hand to her forehead, all too aware of a migraine that had began pounding suddenly. Too suddenly. 

_Is that why you are so slow today?_ She asked herself. Looking toward the sky, she quietly hoped they would be called to Gorgoroth, if only so she could end the Gravewalker, once and for all.

* * * 

There was a great uproar among the regions of Mordor. Seregost had fallen. Seregost was no more! The elf killed the legions of the Nazgul sisters!

Talion could only smirk to himself listening to a uruk rat ranting about it, high above them in a hidden alcove within the cliffs. 

"They say a frost graug froze the guards before eating them! The assassin has gone utterly mad herself!" He shouted. 

"An elf gone mad? I'd love to see that." Another answered.

"What do you mean, 'gone mad'? It is impossible for an elf to go mad!" One snarled. 

"They say she ripped the throat of the overlord out with her teeth!"

The others laughed. "Merely fodder for your wild tales!" 

Talion shook his head as he pulled out Acharn and began sharpening the blade. This little encampment would be dead in ten minutes after he finished his task. Maybe seven. 

After a few moments he ran his thumb over his blade, satisfied with his work. It was a shame he had to dispose of all of them, however, he didn't want to swell his ranks again. That was over.

He jumped down and there was a shriek from one of them as he materialized before one and stabbed the uruk in places where he would bleed to death, not quickly however. No, they wouldn't get to go quickly. 

He caught the one that had shrieked in the jaw with a kick, it sent the uruk rolling into the ground, grabbing another body and burying Acharn in his throat, Talion returned to his fallen quarry and realized he had broken the uruk's jaw. Wonderful. 

He switched between Acharn and Urfael and prepared to sever the uruk's legs when a darker thought whispered to him.

_Light them up, pretty._

His gaze was attached to the campfire immediately, but it was far too small. He saw a awning and curtain had been attached to the rock wall with beams and rope. It was almost too convenient. He was hit by an attack by his prey and he snarled--unaware of how inhuman it sounded--grabbing the uruk by the jaw and flinging him into the beams. The uruk howled in agony and Talion approached him and wrapped an arm around his throat, the pressure cutting off enough air to get his attention. 

"Dismantle it." He growled, yanking his head upward to point at the awning. 

He released the uruk and it shakily began to untie the covering of the awning and remove it. The beams were not nailed together, but forks in the tops of the standing ones held it up. Clever. 

It did not take the uruk very long and Talion had stalked off to grab a forgotten uruk blade. The uruk saw his opportunity and ran in the other direction. Talion rolled his eyes and sent an arrow into it's achilles, the ice stopping him dead and it granted another caterwaul. 

Talion was shaking his head as he grabbed the uruk by the neck again and smirked. "I wasn't finished with you. Cut two of the beams down, leave the third." 

He shoved the uruk's face close to the blade and the wretched thing picked it up. This process took a little longer due to it's limp and improper tool, but after several minutes he had a sizable stack of wood.

"Walk." Talion ordered, gesturing towards the lone standing beam. 

The uruk had realized his fate by this time and was pale. "Just finish me off", he whimpered. 

Talion paused as if to consider it then shoved the uruk towards the beam. He had retrieved the length of rope when he had been waiting for his bonfire wood and tied the uruk to it, a noose and a overly complicated knot holding the bindings on his wrists. They would probably burn, but his little friend would be dead by then. 

Talion had also found himself a barrel of grog while waiting and picked up a chalice, dipping it into the barrel he filled it and threw it on the uruk, it kept up it's pathetic mewling and Talion snapped his adorned finger and did this a few moments before the ring was glowing brightly, he was holding a fireball and walked over to his burn pile. The uruk frantically looking for any help then down at the bodies of his comrades, which he was standing upon. 

Talion didn't waste time with words as he lit the pile of wood. The uruk screaming. He turned away from it and looked to the skies, it was nearly dusk, how had it gotten so late? 

_Time matters not._ The voice in his head said coldly.

Talion paused and looked around, suddenly hyper-aware of his surroundings and turned to the bonfire. 

_What have you done?_

The arrow was in the uruk's head in a second and he looked around. He didn't remember killing any of them, only quietly observing their camp and from the looks of it, had sacked the place.

He saw torches in the distance and he shook his head, he needed to disappear. _Now._

Not daring to use his spectral powers, he sprinted away and made it into the network of caves before his vision started to blur, the cave walls spinning, or was that his head? 

He stumbled forward and kept going although now hunched over. It wasn't much further to their camp. Just needed to get to his tent and die. Everything hurt horribly, as if sores had broken out all over him, yet there was nothing. He knew there was nothing, only dark magic illusions. 

He heard the sounds of an uruk patrol and while he could barely make them out, they seemed to be his troops. He sent their leader a sharp look when he looked at him and the uruk raised up his hands in submission and motioned for the other blokes to keep moving. 

He entered the camp and Akoth approached him.  
"Master, we have some news." 

Talion didn't spare him a glance and was starting to lose his breath. He shook his hand at his second. 

"Send for Eltariel then. I am not to be disturbed." He wheezed. 

Akoth look at him warily before answering: "As you wish." 

Talion had barely made it to his tent before the coughing started, a racking thing that he was certain could bruise ribs. Or crush his lungs. 

He fell when the pressure in his head began, his vision was plagued by spots that wouldn't allow him to see straight. Surely this would kill him and then what? Would he awaken as a Nazgul? Devoid of his memories and serve the Dark Lord? Or was he still strong enough to return and command his army one final time?

He didn't get to ponder this for long, before passing out. 

_"Come, walk with me, Ranger._ " 

_Lady Marwen, Queen of the Shore beckoned for him to follow her out onto the battlements overlooking the sea._

_"I must thank you for discovering the Elven runes would block the dark magics the Hand had cursed me with. He is as cunning as the Dark Lord, I fear, for I do not know when I encountered him, it has been so long since my sickness began."_

_Talion looked at her, she wasn't strong enough to be walking, they had done their ritual only hours before and she had been bedridden then. Now she leaned heavily on her decorated staff. He noticed Celebrimbor had appeared beside him and was looking worriedly at the queen._

_"We couldn't let someone suffer, especially if it had anything to do with the Black Hand."_

_She smiled softly. "Did you find what you were looking for?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Good. You have a heavy burden on your shoulders, immortality from a curse, but you shall live as long as the Dark Lord. Although the means to kill him are yet undetermined."_

_He stayed quiet, he glanced at Celebrimbor who was staring blankly ahead now, but hadn't retreated to the shadows._

_"My time grows near, Talion. I will not survive much longer, but I have found solace in the fact that this selfish world may soon be saved."_

_"I cannot say I share this optimism."_

_"You are still grieving, one day it might be clearer. Or perhaps not. But you have a 'gift' if you choose to look at it that way. And you may watch the sunrise over a free Middle Earth."_

_Talion looked at her and she looked out over the sea. "Save this selfish world, Talion of Gondor, Celebrimbor of Eregion. Only united shall it be done."_

_They watched as she turned away and slowly made her way back inside, coughing slightly. He waited a long while, until she was well out of earshot and walked over to the nearest dip in the wall and sat in it, looking out over the sea._

_"Your earlier idea, about a ring, I still don't agree with it." Celebrimbor said after a while._

_"What if something happens to either of us? Someone else could take up the fight in our stead."_

_"Nothing will happen to us, we are banished from death until the Black Hand is destroyed and after that, what purpose would we have to continue living? What if that ring kept us bound to the realm of the shadows?"_

_"Then we could always melt it down in Mount Doom."  
"What a noble way to go. Your original idea of trying to reincarnate me was less absurd." _

_"Yet you still considered it."_

_"Until we realized it is impossible. I do not even know where my remains lay."_

_"That is true, but think about it at least. You don't have to decide now. We can figure it out after we defeat the Black Hand. However, do you really think you could go back a wandering spirit in the shadow land? I will die after we break the curse."_

_Celebrimbor fell silent for a long while before replying. "I am unsure. Although how long before the Dark Lord realizes I am still banished from death?"_

_Talion looked at him, but Celebrimbor wouldn't return his gaze, instead lost to whatever horror plagued him._

_"Dawn approaches." Talion said after several minutes. "We must prepare our warchiefs."  
Celebrimbor merely disappeared. _

_Talion grit his teeth and the grief threatened to swallow him._

_The body of the Tower lay before him, brutalized and almost unrecognizable from the wounds he'd inflicted. He blinked, almost certain he felt tears in his eyes. Still shaking from the whispers and image of Ioreth._

_"You said we were cursed." He said, not caring how weak he sounded, that his voice was barely over a whisper._

_"I am. However, you are not."_

_"I should be dead."_

_"I thought you reveled in the fact you could avenge your family and fallen comrades?"_

_"Only because I would have no other choice."_

_"I only had two choices, Talion, a slave to Sauron or a chance at regaining my memories, with you. The Queen said it herself, we could change the fate of Middle Earth."_

_Talion retrieved the weapons still embedded in the throat and chest of the Tower._

_"But you can leave me whenever you please?"_

_A pause. "Yes, but I see the folly in that."_

_Talion looked at him and saw no deception. Although he had lied so flawlessly before. However why would he want to be rejected when he had amnesia? A ghost left to wander wondering why he existed at all. Why a creature so evil summoned him from the depths._

_"We must return to the Queen. Report what we have done."_

Talion sat up with a start and struggled to remember what had happened. Why those memories had returned so vividly. 

He stood and ignored the dull ache that was everything. Another long night haunted by his memories. 

He strode out of his tent and looked around the camp, Akoth hurrying to his side at once.

"I summoned the Elf, master, her newly acquired forces will be here in two days." 

"And our own troops?" 

"Awaiting orders, sir." 

"Prepare to move to the plain around the fortress, we will move out when Eltariel arrives." 

Akoth nodded and disappeared. Talion glancing around again, he could find some last minute recruits. However after yesterdays' episodes, he didn't want to risk dying now. 

So he would wait for her and prepare for the inevitable.

* * * 

Eltariel walked the hot plateau and looked around impatiently. The battle was near, as a large war camp was set up in front of the fortress, the inhabitants either too frightened or too busy preparing for their attack to retaliate to their advances at the moment. It had been a long few days and the 300 simple uruk behind her had been complaining thoroughly. She had recruited Maku though and brought Flint and Tinder with her, so truly it hadn't been a complete waste of time. 

It sunk in how vast their forces were combined, her own reaching one thousand and Talion's own thousand--although she found this strange--they would crush whomever was inside the fortress. Unless the sisters had found a way to create uruk-hai right there. That thought had been pestering her. 

She scanned the crowds until she found Talion among them, speaking with caragor riders. She had a long way to go before she reached him, so she turned to her army.

"I have an audience with the Gravewalker, merge with his forces and prepare for the next morn!" She shouted above them, their salutes marking their acknowledgement.

Towards sunset, they were alone above the camp. The uruks had no business in this conversation and she silently watched the uruks below, waiting for his response. 

"It will be over in a day, Eltariel. Although their warchiefs are strong, their numbers are lacking." He finally answered.  


His words seemed annoyed. He was struggling against the ring then. 

"Very well then." 

"There will be a meal waiting for you in your tent. I will be around." Talion added.

She wondered if it were going to be poisoned. "...Thank you." 

He nodded and she made her way back into the inner circle of their encampment. It could still be poisoned. The thought was nagging. 

_So what if it's poisoned? You have the ring, you'll come back...But what if he takes it?_

She shook her head and was determined not to eat it. In fact, she'd bury it under her tent, no one would find it. Immature as it was. 

It had to be close to midnight, and yet the uruks kept dancing and singing, their vigil for death. A steady drumming that never seemed to end.

Fires blazed and drunken uruks danced around them, their skills severely lacking and some falling in. The other's songs were as horrific. Songs of death, gore and bloodletting. She was surprised when she heard the one of the Gravewalker, a dark tale from the uruk's perspective, but to anyone else it would be heroic. 

She stood under an open tent and she realized Talion was in front of one of the fires, his dance not as wild as the uruks, but still screamed insanity, however it seemed he had some practice in this at one time.

She watched for a long while, the song of the Gravewalker renewing and he danced with it, the shadows appearing to join in. She didn't believe he was sober, he wouldn't. She didn't think so at least, but she had known him when he was still haunted by Celebrimbor and the Elf Lord wouldn't have allowed this. 

He noticed her after a while and stopped, smirking to himself, grabbing a chalice, he drank from it as he sauntered to her.

"It's unsophisticated for an Elf." He said slowly, as if something was distracting him. "But ceremony has been lost on me." 

She nodded, too aware of the alcohol in his hand, the chances of certain doors being opened. She was overthinking it or had been alone too long, the boys club didn't help. 

"You should see them when we are the ones defending the fortress, if you think this is crazy, we have more resources then." He added.

_Why are you rambling? What do you want? If you're going to ask, do it._

"Do they change the colors of the flames?" She asked. 

"If they find the proper things to do it, if not, then no. The fires would burn higher though." He answered, turning to face her.

"You never relax, do you?" He said lowering his voice to a purr, looking over her. "How haven't you snapped yet?" 

She was doing her damnedest not to reach for a dagger when he wrapped an arm around her back, pulling her close. 

_Oh, so you wish to dance? You trust me that much? Then let us dance._

He smiled when she didn't try to shove him and gently pushed her against the support holding up the wall, gently kneeing her so she'd wrap her legs around him. 

She didn't hesitate and silently berated herself for it. _Make him wait._

He used his other hand to pull her hood away from her face, running his hand carefully down the side of her face, still holding that chalice, the only reason this had been so easy. 

Crouching a little, he set it down and put his hand against the side of her face, thumbing her jawline.

She leaned into it and her eyes sent that silent invitation. Taking it, he made sure she was comfortably against the beam and leaned forward to nuzzle her neck before nipping at the base of it.

She tried to ignore it but it was getting harder to reject the fact that she wanted him, the only challenger she ever had. Her breath caught in her throat and there was a breathy laugh that was enough to start making things too slow for her liking.

She grabbed his arm and pulled it forward, waiting for his response. She caught his eye and she couldn't ignore the look in it, didn't want too either. She also didn't realize the camp had gone dead silent. 

He moved up her neck to the base of her ear and planted a kiss before it, he paused to look at her again and leaned in closer. She smelt the alcohol on his breath and knew he was drunk. She expected his next words to be something else entirely. 

" _Hypocrite._ " He muttered, suddenly sounding much more alert.

She stiffened and realized she couldn't reach for her daggers the way his shoulder was against hers. 

"You once told me to not become which you sought to destroy yet you created another Nazgul--after I destroyed one--and took _my_ ring for your own. Now you have to trust I will do what is needed, when _I_ decide the right time. And look at you! Spreading your legs for me, as if you trusted me." 

He dropped her and she fell with a thud, she heard the uruks laughing loudly, she was going to snarl a response at him when she realized a lazy grin had appeared and he had picked up his drink again. 

"Maybe next time, Elfling!" He laughed, his uruks howling on every side of him.

His death was going to be slow. Even Sauron would not be able to revive him from the dead. And the fact he'd called her 'elfling'. 

"What's the matter girly?" A uruk called. "Expected the boss to play?" 

"Well, if yous really looking for some company!" Another added. 

She was cursing her brilliant idea and flushed face and tried to coolly walk away, but was scowling too much to actually be convincing. 

Talion stared into his reflection in the liquid and waited for Eltariel to disappear before he flung the contents from it into the bushes. His disgust with himself apparent by his expression, but she hadn't looked at him when she stormed past, did she really think she would seduce him? 

He finally sent a snarl at the uruks whom were still chuckling and they silenced themselves mostly.

"Done with it already? With as little as you drank somebody else could have had it." Akoth, whom came to stand at his side, said.

"Certain uruks would enjoy that too much." Talion answered.

"Or they would be wondering why you even picked it up at all." He replied.

Talion nodded and was trying to tune out the various vulgar things they were saying about that little interaction. Although she had certainly been humiliated, he'd forgotten who he was preforming for. 

"I'm retiring for the evening." Talion said.

Even Akoth could not have hidden the slight smirk. "Very well then, master." 

It was an effort not to roll his eyes and remove him of his head. 

* * * 

Eltariel stared at the walls of the fortress and wondered how long it would take them to get in, despite Talion's reassurances the battle would be done before sunset.

Talion had rallied the troops at the darkest hour and they stood carefully arranged in front of the fortress. She was almost certain they were in the shape of a skull. 

She looked towards her own troops and each one shouting the war chant. It was thunderous and she knew most of the region could hear it. 

It didn't take long before the wide doors on the tower opened and the air turned cold. The two Nazgul sisters stepped out and surveyed the army assembled. 

"Such effort, yet you could not defend these walls." The elder said, the voice seemingly all around them.

"So here you will die, Gravewalker, knowing you never took your revenge." 

Eltariel looked at Talion and he merely shrugged. "So what?" 

She didn't realize he'd given the signal and several ologs leaped out of rank, charging the fortress walls, clubs in hand, swinging wildly. 

The second wave followed and Talion left her side, she had no choice but to follow.

The ologs had breached the outer wall and a war graug appeared, three of them, where had Talion hidden them? 

They crushed what remained of the walls and the soldiers poured through. 

Eltariel hurtled over the fallen rubble and an arrow flew into the first opponent she saw, then two more fell.

Something slammed into the back of her head and her vision was alight with spots. She yelped louder than she intended too and spun around on the ground, hoping her dagger would find its mark.

A deranged looking uruk captain stood above her, deep scars covered in paint accented his face and his armor could barely be called that, he pinned her and prepared to sink what looked like claws into her eyes. 

She lunged upward, still somewhat reeling from the blow and sunk her dagger into his throat, but it didn't do much. Spitting blood in her face the uruk slashed at her with his claws, she attempted to kick him off but he stayed put.

Something caught the uruk's attention and it screamed as it was beheaded, shoving it's useless body away she realized Talion held a hand out for her.

"What the hell was that?" 

He disappeared just as quickly and she ran to assist Tinder who was flailing about.

"What is it?" She asked. 

He only pointed and she looked up to see Flint shoving an explosive into an adversaries mouth, only to realize he was slipping on his own guts, the bomb went off a moment later and the two bodies were decimated. Tinder wailed and stood, charging into a large group of troops, suddenly reckless in his grief.

Eltariel felt a quiet rage stir in her, she soon followed Tinder, carving through countless uruks with a precision that she had not had for some time. She was soon drenched in blood and looked as wild as any beast.

She heard a war cry and followed the flow of troops running towards the last objective: The upper courtyard. 

She watched as the uruks inside were overrun instantly, most of them dropping to their knees at once and Eltariel saw the door to the throneroom and didn't wait for the slaughter to end before entering.

She strode in, blood painting the stone floors and the two sisters were waiting on their thrones. 

"Did you believe his lies, elf? That he would let you live?" The elder said, standing. 

Eltariel didn't even respond before sending a ball of light to her face. 

The other rushed for her, throwing her pick towards her and Eltariel rolled, shielding herself with her light and the two hissed as it touched them, they retreated back to their thrones and Eltariel stood, her hatred from the night before hadn't seemed to disappear yet.

"We know how this ends." She snarled, before unleashing the aggression she had been hiding all day. The two sisters did not last ten minutes. 

* * * 

Everyone was dead, the fortress had been completely ruined except for the throne room, the lone tower standing unscathed. His work was done. 

He was dying, he knew this as he carefully made his way towards the entrance, aware of the presence at his side.

He looked up and saw the Eye fixated on him. He didn't have the strength to tell it exactly what he thought of it and that was when he fell, laying there on the ground doing everything he could to make himself stand again. The voices growing louder. 

"Steady, ranger." That damned elf said.

So she had survived her encounter with the sisters. His eyes scanned the skyline and realized it was sunset. Exactly when he'd told her the battle would be over.

"I must return." He managed to say, breathing becoming harder and harder. "To Gondor."

A long pause and he heard her shift, the quiet sound of her drawing one of her daggers. That was all he needed to push himself to his hands and knees and risk toppling over again to grab her hand.

"Please." 

"Of course." She muttered, her voice quiet, too quiet.

* * * 

Galadriel's voice had ordered her to execute him immediately, she had disobeyed a direct order and now she stood with him in the streets of Minas Morgul. The closest thing she could offer.

He limped forward, eyes staring forward, unseeing whatever was before him, lost to the temptations of the ring.

"The ring." She said after a moment when he paused to breathe. 

He looked at her like he didn't know what she meant then glanced at his hand.   
"Of course."

He kept looked at it and raised his other hand, preparing to remove it. Then he stopped.

"I find it quite amusing you have not rid yourself of that ring yet. While you demand I remove my life source." He said quietly. 

She tensed but realized this was still him, she couldn't feel the dark aura of the Nazgul. 

"You told me once, when the time was right you would do what was needed." She replied, keeping her tone even.

"And yet, you still took the ring from me, even after I defied Celebrimbor." 

"Do not betray the man you were!" She didn't mean to shout, but did anyway.

He looked at her, eyes alight like a storm. "I never did. Until you came along." 

She crept forward, arm silently raising to grab a dagger. " _Talion_ , I was merely addled from the destruction of the Nazgul...I was weak." 

He just stared off, she wasn't sure if he believed him or not until he turned to look at her.

"Is that the excuse? And whom is it that you speak of?"

She didn't have enough time to react before his hand was around her throat she kneed him in the chin and he grunted, releasing his hand enough so she could wiggle free. Pulling a dagger free, she charged him and walked into a backhand, the spikes in his armor slicing open her face.

She ducked and ignored the pain in her face enough to plunge her dagger into his bicep, he didn't react. And shoved his own dagger into the back of her knee. 

Shit. Shit. Shit. _Shit!_

She rolled and he snarled something but she didn't hear it. Her own panic making her heart pound. It occurred to her that she might not walk away from this and at the moment? She wasn't sure she even cared. 

She regained her footing and stood, quickly using her own innate ability to heal herself. She had not taken her eyes off of him and he only raised the dead that were around them. However they were not all uruks. Only forty or so were. Over three hundred souls rose from the grounds. Their souls summoned from heaven when the Witch King cursed the tower and thus corrupting them. 

She almost did not sense his next attack in her shock and took a heavy hit to the spine. She feared it was cracked. And without thinking used the power of the ring to teleport to a soul further away. She dominated it and felt the pain in her back disappear. She cringed and sensed another attack. She spun and blocked his sword, the impact echoed throughout the courtyard and she felt it in her bones. 

She had to use the full power of the ring. She didn't want to die. She could not allow him to kill her. 

So, she looked at the ring and muttered: " _Help me_ " in Elvish. Dodging another attack. A few seconds passed and she feared it had rejected her again. A moment later the world exploded in pale blue light, knocking her unconscious. 

She awoke and it felt as if she'd set herself on fire for everything that ached. She yanked her head up and looked at the Nazgul who'd awoken the same moment she did, he struggled to stand and she forced herself to her feet. Dawn was approaching...They'd been out for some while then. She cautiously made her way forward and prepared to plunge her blade into his chest. Ignoring the sudden stinging in her eyes and the guilt that was threatening to consume her. 

She raised her blade and he lunged, she struck and felt it hit home, but he was holding the hand that held the ring and his voice was his own when he spoke:

"Save this selfish world." 

_The rain fell in torrents on the battlements of the Black Gate, great agony as he watched his family die and a great rage as he was cast into undeath with Celebrimbor. Cutting across Mordor and meeting the Queen of the Shore and her quest for him. To do the right thing._

_The sheer terror in the presence of Shelob and courage to sacrifice the ring to get Celebrimbor back and to save Minas Morgul. The shock of the Witch King's corruption, the determination to never let it happen again._

_And then the betrayal. The utter sorrow at the turn of events and the grim resentment that led him to pick up the Nazgul ring and declare war across the plains of Mordor until he couldn't anymore._

_He fought and fought until finally wondering why he had not seen her. Using the seeing stone to discover her location and the hatred that bloomed when she had tried to kill him three weeks ago. And the repulsion at her display the night before, the pain when he realized he wouldn't wake up this time._

She yanked back when the vision ended and looked around the now empty courtyard. All signs of battle gone. She looked at her hand and her reflection stared back in the crystal of her light. She couldn't bear to look at it and took it off. Walking over to the edge of a cart and shattering it with a scream, the ring's magic allowing the destruction.

She was going to throw the awful thing away too but held on. She still had to wait for the fall of Barad-Dur. She needed to confront Celebrimbor. She couldn't wait to gloat about how Sauron was dead but he were now trapped forever.

And since the Elves were leaving and the Dwarves would soon disappear...There would be no one to save him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters theme: Talion & Celebrimbor: (Breaking Benjamin) Anthem of The Angels.
> 
> I actually hate this. I should have deleted it...But couldn't just let effort for five months go to waste. I will probably remake this and make it much shorter in the future. This isn't as emotionally driven as I'd like.

**Author's Note:**

> Terribly sorry if this is repetitive or strange, been working on this since April and during that time had wrote a chunk of this with a couple of migraines. 
> 
> I have been slowly working on the Bright Lord too, so an update may appear within the next month or two (hopefully) as will chapter two.
> 
> Fun fact: The Dark of You by Breaking Benjamin was the original inspiration for this work.


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